Gollum's Tale: The Real Lord of the Ring
by SekushitheSilver
Summary: Due to the lack of Gollum fics, i wrote one. It isn't finished, and i am gonna post up some chapters, but it is eventually gonna be good. Please r&r and stuff. And email me too, i love email. CHAPTER FIVE IS UP!!
1. Prologue

Note: I don't own any of the stuff in this story, the only thing I own is the story itself. I made up the Ring of Weakness. This story takes place in a universe parallel to the lord of the ring universe, so don't expect to see any nine fingered Frodos running around...  
  
  
GOLLUM'S TALE: THE REAL LORD OF THE RING  
  
  
In the beginning, eighteen rings were formed, each holding vast amounts of power. Five rings were given to the mountain-dwelling dwarf lords, nine were given to the nine kings of the ambitious men, and three were given to the immortal elves. But little did these ring-bearers know that another ring was formed, one ring of power, to rule all other rings.  
  
This information has all been recorded within the Lith a'Man, 'The Ever-living Journal', but one story hasn't been remembered, and few live in this world that know of it.  
  
It is the tale of Gollum. It is no mystery that he was the holder of the lost ring of power for more than a century, until an unwitting half-ling found it. But he played a greater part in the pond of life, so to speak. He wasn't just a leaf floating on the surface. He was a rock, dropped into the crystal clear waters, and rippling the surface beyond comprehension.  
  
Gollum, an ugly creature who was twisted by the corrupted power of the one ring, managed to gain access to a blacksmith's furnace and tools. And it was here that he created a weapon the likes of which should never have to be mentioned again. The ring of weakness.  
  
*  
  
The burning fires of the blacksmith's furnace melted the elven metal until it glowed a fiery red. A small, twisted figure hunched over the kettle of liquid metal and cackled with glee. A sick sound uttered through the disgusting creature's throat, interrupting its joy.  
  
"Yesss, my preciousss," the monster muttered to himself, "Sssoon you will be whole again, and we can be together again, sss'my preciousss."  
  
The creature took out a small, metal box, with a hinge on one side, and two holes in the top. A tool many artisans use to make rings. He poured the burning liquid into one of the top holes, and giggled in glee as the box turned hot in his hands, and the dangerous liquid splashed out of the two holes onto his fingers. He was oblivious to the pain as his skin melted from his arms. His eyes glowed with an eerie light and saliva dripped from his gaping mouth.  
  
He poured the entire contents of the kettle into the box, not knowing how or when to stop. When the pot was empty of its magical contents, the malicious little imp skipped in one place, muttering to himself about 'his precious' and making 'gollum' noises in his throat.   
  
Flies buzzed around the dead blacksmith's body in the adjacent room, his neck broken, and his face mangled horribly by small, razor-like claws and teeth. What was left of his face was frozen in an undying mask of fear and horror.  
  
After three hours of skipping, hopping, and muttering, the small box was sufficiently cool, and the twisted creature opened it, revealing its contents. A small, silver ring lay within it; steam rising from it's still hot curves. Small, clawed fingers pried the precious thing from its container and held it up to the light.  
  
"My preciousss," the grotesque creature gurgled, "you are ssso beautiful, and I found you, and you are mine'sss."   
  
As the ring became cooler, shining silver lettering began to appear on the outside of it. Only the creature could understand what it said, however, since it was written in the writing he had developed in the century he had been hiding within the Misty Mountain.  
  
'One ring for Gollum's sake,   
One precious above them,   
One ring to take the world, and in a nightmare, corrupt them.'  
  
  
  
Note: I really don't give a damn what you people say, but review this story anyway (he he, I rhymed). I really enjoyed writing it, and I'm am going to post the next chapter up soon. STAY TUNED!!! 


	2. Frodo Learns

Note: I must remind you people that this takes place in an alternate universe, so yes, Gandalf does show up. Yes I know that I made a mistake in the first chapter. The dwarves got seven rings, not five. So it should say that twenty rings were forged. Sorry for my ignorance, so without further delay, chapter two...  
  
  
Chapter 2.  
  
  
"You're right, Sam," Frodo said, as he and his gardener friend walked along the gravel path that passed through Hobbiton, "Pippin has been acting strange lately." Both of the hobbits had long pipes in their mouths, and were smoking large circles into the air. Their furry, leather-like, bare feet gently slapped against the rough stones. The night air was chill and the stars twinkled like fireflies caught in a jar.  
  
"Just yesterday," began Sam, pausing a moment to suck on his pipe, "he told me that none of us was worth a damn, and that we are all going to die anyway. He had the strangest look in his eyes, and his face was pale and sickly."   
  
Frodo had noticed their friend's odd behavior also, but he, unlike Sam, noticed similar moods in other people. On one of his several out-of-home-for-no-reason trips (as he fondly called them) he took a visit to Buckland. He was hoping to talk to Sancho Hardbottle, a friend of his whom owned a bakery, but his friend didn't wish to see him. When Frodo asked why, he was chased away with a rolling pin and with curses involving the words 'doomed' and 'condemnation'.   
  
Finally, Frodo reached his home. He said good bye to his friend and the gate creaked as he pushed it inwards and strolled up the path to his small door. He turned the handle, and the never-locked door pushed inwards, creaking slightly with age. Frodo turned to hang his coat on the coat-rack, when he noticed that his coat's proper place was occupied by a rather large and gray cloak.   
  
The hobbit's eyes darted around the hall, but he couldn't see anything in the dark. He dropped his coat on the floor, put his pipe out and laid it gently on a nearby table, and gently shut the round, hobbit-sized door. He gently knelt over, afraid that his old, cracking back would alarm the intruder of his presence, and lifted the carpet that was laid in front of the door. Frodo reached his hand under, and sighed in relief as he pulled the sheathed 'Sting' out from its hiding place. He carefully slid the blade from its home, and held it at the ready.   
  
Frodo tiptoed to the end of the hall, and glanced into his kitchen. No one. He sneaked through the 'most important room of the house' and peeked into his dining room. No one. He repeated the arduous process of checking the rooms until there weren't any rooms left to check. The battle-hardened hobbit sighed, half in relief, and half in disappointment, and returned the elven blade back to its sheath.  
  
"You could put an eye out with that thing," a voice from behind Frodo said, as all the lights in the house suddenly sprang to life. Frodo whirled around and stuck his finger into the old wizard's knarled face.  
  
"Gandalf, Can't you just knock like a normal person?" he asked, quivering with fear and agitation. The two friends stared at each other, looking each other in the eye, angry expressions etched into their faces. Then, all at once, they both burst out laughing.   
  
They greeted each other with hugs and pats on the back, and soon the offer for tea came up, then scones, then eggs, then crumpets, then biscuits, then mushrooms, then...  
  
"Wait Frodo," Gandalf interrupted, putting his bony hand on the bustling hobbits arm, stopping his dashes for the pantry immediately, "I came here on serious business, there isn't any time for snacks."   
  
"Oh, Bosh," replied the simple-minded hobbit, "there's always time for tea. And maybe a few scones." The look on the old wizard's face told Frodo otherwise, so he sat down across from his wise, old friend, and listened.  
  
"Gollum is alive," Gandalf began, taking a deep breath for what he was about to say, "and he is causing a great deal of trouble. No, Mr. Baggins, not the trouble he used to cause, much bigger trouble. Let me explain, we found a dead body, a blacksmith of some talent, in Bree. It was dead for quite some time, and the only reason anybody found it was because some runaway cart smashed the door to his building down, and someone went inside to make sure nobody was hurt, and they found him, 'strangled and mangled', so to speak."   
  
Frodo was speechless. There was no doubt in his mind that Gollum had committed the murder, since 'strangling and mangling' was the twisted creature's murder of choice, but the question was why? Gollum had done some bad stuff in the past, but plain murder for no reason?  
  
"The news gets worse," Gandalf continued, reading Frodo's expression of disbelief like a book, "Some elven metal, with magical properties no less, was stolen just two weeks before, from a band of traveling High Elves. Remnants of that same metal were found, next to a melting pot, and a ring-mold."  
  
"He's gone COMPLETELY insane!" Frodo exclaimed, shaking his head slightly, "He thinks that he can create another ring, another 'precious'." All the hobbit got in response was a blank look. "Gandalf, he didn't create another magic ring did he?"  
  
The Wizard nodded his head.  
  
"And from what me and Elrond can tell," Gandalf said, growing more and more solemn, "is that this ring is the most twisted and evil ring yet, more so than the one ring was. It corrupts the dreams of all others within a certain radius of where the ring is, making them think that there is no point in living, causing them to act strangely, and, if they dream these twisted dreams often enough, do horrible things."   
  
Frodo gasped in surprise and studied Gandalf's face. He hadn't noticed it before, but the wizard had large bags under his eyes, and he looked as if he hadn't slept in days.   
  
"So that means that the ring is still in the Shire," Frodo said, turning away from the wise man and staring out the window.   
  
Gandalf nodded, "Most likely."  
  
"So that means that no one is safe if they go to sleep, and dream," Gandalf didn't need to answer that question, it was rhetorical.  
  
"The question now is, where is Gollum?"  
  
  
  
Note: No, you dummies, this story isn't done yet, BUT I HOPE TO FINISH IT SOON! PLEASE REVIEW!!! 


	3. Gollum Attacks

Chapter 3.  
  
  
Gollum scurried through the underbrush; barely making any noise, his wheezes and gasps from the exertion of running the only sounds audible. His front claws touching the ground occasionally, checking his balance.   
  
The moonlight shone brightly in the night sky, making everything almost as bright as day, except for Gollum. His putrescent black skin absorbed all the light, making him near invisible. The only thing that could be seen was the reflection of the light off his large, sensitive eyes, like two small lanterns bobbing in the woods.  
  
The still night air was suddenly disturbed with the slap of a bare foot on a packed gravel path. Within an instant, Gollum crossed the road and dove into the bushes again, only coming out into the open for a moment.   
  
Then, all at once, the twisted little monster stopped. He climbed into a thick clump of bramble, ignoring the sharp barbs as they scratched and tore at his moist skin. He peered out into the darkness, and instantly spotted the hill he was looking for. If it weren't for the lights shining out of the windows, Gollum would never have found Bag End.   
  
"Bagginsss," hissed the vengeful creature.  
  
  
*  
  
  
"How do you know for certain the powers of the ring?" Frodo asked, pacing back in forth in anxious fear, "I mean, you don't have possession of the ring, so how do you know its abilities?"   
  
Gandalf's eyebrows drew together, and his lids narrowed over his eyes. "You don't seriously think that Gollum discovered how to make magic rings by himself do you?"   
  
Frodo stopped his pacing, "You mean, he had help?"  
  
"In a way, yes," answered the wizard, taking a sip of his brackle-berry tea, "The little bastard somehow managed to get a hold of some secret writings hidden in the library at Mordor. As you know, Aragorn, Elrond, and I were in the process of extracting all things of value from that god-forsaken land. That's how we knew to look for the little devil. Those writings told him exactly how to take all his hate and power (left over from when he held the old ring), and transfer it into something palpable. A ring."   
  
Frodo swore and stamped his foot in anger. He knew exactly what Gollum was angry at. Him. And he didn't need to ask Gandalf why he had come. It was obvious. The wise old codger had come to protect the hobbit from the deranged little beast.  
  
"Now, we must go from this pl-" Gandalf stopped talking. He whipped his head around and looked out the window. He had heard something.   
  
The chair creaked as the tall man stood. He grabbed his staff and tightened his grip on the knarled stick of wood. He slowly made his way toward the windowsill. Frodo edged his way towards 'Sting'; he had a feeling he was going to need it.   
  
Gandalf reached the window and peaked into the night. He leaned his hand on the sill to steady himself as he poked his head out of the small, hobbit-sized hole in the wall.   
  
A blinding light enveloped the room. Since Gandalf was in front of Frodo, the hobbit had enough time to shield his eyes, the old wizard had no such luck. He got the full force of the blast of light and emotion, and, in an instant, was crumpled on the ground.  
  
He writhed and screamed in inner torture as visions of death, suffering, and insignificance filled his head. When the light dissipated, Frodo ran to his friend's aid. He shook the old man's shoulders and called his name, but the wizard was oblivious. He only saw pain, he only felt torment, and he only heard screams. He became convinced of his own unimportance, and began muttering to himself.  
  
"Baginsss," Frodo snapped his head to the windowsill when he heard his name. A thin, monstrous figure stood. It had a shining silver ring on its finger.  
  
The hobbit dove for his sword, only to be caught by a powerful clawed hand. Frodo felt himself be thrown backwards into a wall. It shook with the force of the impact, and a framed picture of a very old hobbit shuddered, and fell, smashing into a million pieces. Frodo slunk to the ground, dazed and nearly unconscious from the hit. He felt the warm, foul breath of Gollum on his neck, and he knew that the angry creature was standing right over him.  
  
"Is it dead, my preciousss?" the twisted creature muttered to himself, stroking the shimmering ring on his finger, "Doesss it WANT to die, my preciousss?"  
  
Frodo's hand darted to the broken picture of his foster father. A large shard of sharp glass stung his hand as he gripped it. The hobbit lunged as hard as he could at Gollum, swinging his makeshift knife at the creature's eyes. He felt a jolt through his arm as he was stopped mid-swing. Gollum's claw had his wrist in a death grip; his pin-like nails digging into Frodo's skin.   
  
The hobbit yelped in pain, and the blade of glass fell from his fingers, smashing as it hit the floor. His squeal was cut off as his assailant grabbed his throat and lifted him into the air. Frodo gagged and kicked as his face began turning colors. The hobbit gasped for air and struggled with consciousness, as he wrenched at the twisted creature's immobile hand. He didn't remember Gollum being THIS strong.  
  
Suddenly, Gollum's hand fell away from Frodo's throat, and the monster soon found HIMSELF being lifted into the air, as if invisible hands had grabbed his shoulders and were picking him up. He flew across the room and straight into a door, which burst open, nearly ripping itself off of its hinges. The squealing and flailing creature was flung into the wine cellar, and the sound of Gollum thumping down the stairs echoed through the house.   
  
The bewildered hobbit shrugged off the pain in is neck and arm, and dashed to the door, slamming it shut and locking it. He whirled around and saw that Gandalf was unconscious with exhaustion, and he had his staff in his hand. Frodo smiled a half smile, and hurried to his sword, and, in a flash of light, 'Sting' was unsheathed. The hobbit admired the elven blade, but stopped his staring when the door to the cellar began shaking and rattling on its hinges. With his newfound strength, there was no telling how long that door would hold Gollum.  
  
Frodo gripped the wizard's collar and began dragging him towards the main hall, all the while keeping his sword pointed at the wine cellar door. When he reached the hall, Frodo wrapped his old friend in his cloak, and put on his own coat. It was near freezing outside.  
  
The empowered hobbit kicked the round door to Bag End open, and dragged Gandalf into the darkness. The slamming and, for the first time ever, locking of the Baggins' home could be heard throughout the entire Shire that night. Frodo ran as fast as his short hobbit feet could take him around the house, and closed, and blocked all of the windows to his once happy home, locking Gollum within it.  
  
When he was finished, he slumped down next to Gandalf, and gasped and wheezed for air. He wasn't a young hobbit anymore. Frodo reached for his pipe in his coat pocket, when he realized that he left it in the house.  
  
"Oh, Damn," swore the frustrated hobbit, "Just when a smoke is really needed, I forget my pipe-"  
  
A pair of hands encircled the unsuspecting hobbit's neck, and dragged him into the night.  
  
  
  
Note: IS FRODO DEAD? IS GANDALF DEAD? IS GOLLUM...no wait, I love Gollum, so he'll never die. STAY TUNED!!! 


	4. Captured

Chapter 4.  
  
  
  
Voices. Telling him he wasn't worth it. Telling him he should die. Telling him lies.   
  
Screams. Echoing in the void. Women pleading for their children's lives. Men praying for death to come quickly.  
  
Visions. Horrible murders and bloodied bodies. Bones standing in every which way. Burning homes and beautiful buildings.  
  
Frodo tried to tell himself that what he was seeing wasn't real, that it wasn't true. But it was so real. And then, it WAS real. All of it. He realized that it was real. No, but it couldn't be real. People smiled and laughed and loved. IT COULDN'T BE REAL.  
  
He was gradually slipping into a void of hate, depression, and confusion. The thoughts were taking him over, and he couldn't resist them.  
  
Then, a light. A blinding red light flashed from the distance, outshining and dispelling the horrible images. An eye. A lidless, unblinking eye, wreathed in flame. The eye of Sauron.  
  
Frodo's eyes snapped open, and all he could see was darkness. He realized that someone had pulled him into the bushes and had knocked him unconscious, and then brought him here. He now understood why Pippin and the others thought that there was no hope in living. He had seen the visions too. But he had been saved.  
  
If his head didn't throb in an almost unbearable pain, Frodo would have chuckled at how ironic the thought of his former enemy's symbol saving him. It seemed that the ring of power had some use after all.  
  
The hobbit tried to get to his feet, but the shackles around his ankles and wrists kept him on the ground. He decided to survey his surroundings from the floor.  
  
The air was dank and musty, and smelled of blood and sweat. The floor was carpeted with dirty straw, and the only source of light was a beam of sunlight shining through a small hole in the wall. The walls were a harsh, cold stone, lacking decoration and finesse. A wooden door was on the opposite wall of Frodo, giving him an excellent view of an attractive yellow stain on the entrance. A small, barred window stood in the center of the door, at about a hobbit's height. A small, sliding panel blocked it.  
  
Frodo heard a moan, and looked in the direction that it had come from. There, crumpled in a dirty heap in the corner, was a battered Gandalf. He had only a single, rusty manacle around his ankle. The hobbit knew that the wizard could easily spell that single cuff off of himself.  
  
"Gandalf!" Frodo whispered as loud as he dare, "Gandalf! Wake up Gandalf!" No reaction.  
  
Suddenly, the old, broken man groaned loudly, and muttered something about 'death'. He shifted, bringing his head into the small beam of light available, and Frodo got his first good look of his friend's face. It was more sallow and bony than usual and his eyes were open, but the pupils were pulled to the back of the old man's head. The irises were white and wide, and the hobbit realized that Gandalf wouldn't be awake for some time.  
  
A sound in the hall brought Frodo's eyes to the small window in the door. He listened as three sets of feet came closer to his prison cell: one set was light, nimble, and small: obviously a hobbit's. Another set was heavy, booted, and had long stride. He couldn't tell whether it was human, orc, or elf. The last set was more of a shuffle, and it sounded like claws were scraping the dirt floor. Gollum. The three stopped in front of the door, and the panel slid away, revealing a large set of watery eyes.  
  
"Well, my preciousss," an all-to-familiar voice rasped, "it isss awake, and it looksss hungry. Ssshall we feed it, preciousss? Ssshall weee?"  
  
The panel slid back into place, and the sound of a clinking lock echoed through the silent room. The door swung inward, kicking up dust and grime as it went. Gollum limped his way in, followed by two shady figures, one was tall, the other, short. The sudden flash of light from the lantern the tall character was holding blinded Frodo, making it impossible for him to see whom it was who had accompanied Gollum.  
  
The twisted monster crawled right up to Frodo, sticking his deformed face right into the beaten hobbit's. His breath stank of fish and decaying animals. Small, disgusting nostrils sniffed Frodo's face and hair. The hobbit turned his head away, but clawed hands forced him to look the creature in the eye.  
  
"Preciousss, do you think'sss it'sss hungry?" thin lips peeled away, revealing sharp, yellow teeth, "Methinksss the short one ssshould bring it sssome food."  
  
The shorter figure shuffled from the doorway, carrying a plate and mug with it. A moldy, rotting piece of bread sat on it, along with a maggot-ridden slab of some unknown meat. He stopped next to Gollum, and held out the food.  
  
Frodo's eyes darted up to the unknown figure's face. It was Sam.  
  
"Sam!" Frodo foolishly yelped.   
  
Gollum immediately hit the insolent hobbit. "It ssshould be quiet, if it valuesss itsss life." The twisted creature delicately took the decaying bread from the platter, and held it up to Frodo's mouth. "If it bitesss Gollum'sss hand, it will be hurt. My preciousss thinksss ssso."  
  
Frodo had never smelled anything so sickening. The bread was disgustingly wet, and reeked of rotten eggs and bad fish, but he thought it wise at this time to eat it. He slowly opened his mouth, and the bread was crammed in, pushed my powerful, black fingers. The hobbit gagged as the disgusting loaf was pushed down his throat, he barely had time to chew and taste it, which he was sure he should probably be happy for.  
  
When the bread was in, Gollum reached for the mug of water. Frodo hadn't even finished swallowing the last of the bread when a cascade of the most disgusting liquid he had ever tasted was poured down his throat. Half of it spilled on his chin and clothes.  
  
Then Gollum grabbed the piece de resistance: the meat. Frodo couldn't tell what it was, but it smelled like a decaying sheep, so he assumed it was lamb. He was actually fairly flattered that such an expensive delicacy was chosen to be fed to him, until he was actually fed it. Most of it wasn't even meat; it was maggots and a plethora of other bugs. This time, the hobbit couldn't hold his disgust in. He threw up, emptying the contents of his stomach (the bread, and water, if you can call it that) all over himself and the already filthy straw floor.  
  
"Aaaaaaack!" screamed Gollum, jumping away as streams of bile flowed from Frodo's mouth, "Disssgusssting Bagginsss! Preciousss triesss to feed it, and it rejectsss the deliciousss meal! It will pay, my preciousss, it will pay."  
  
Frodo was dazed and he could hardly see, when something smacked into his face. His neck snapped back from the force of the blow, and the back of his head slammed against the wall.   
  
Gollum had the ring of weakness pressed against his prisoner's forehead. He began murmuring incoherent words beneath his breath, and the ring began to glow an eerie light. Frodo felt a tingling sensation in his head, and he felt himself slip into a deep sleep.  
  
"Bagginsss," the mystical creature hissed, "It hasss the protection of the eye of pain, my preciousss, thisss will be difficult." Gollum pulled his head back and looked at the ceiling, exerting all of his force into the power of his ring.  
  
Frodo finally fell asleep.  
  
  
*  
  
  
The terror was receding. He no longer felt the sense of inadequacy and doom he had in the beginning. He had realized that they were all lies, produced by the ring of weakness. Gandalf was waking up.  
  
In case of psychological intrusion, wizards train themselves to go into a trance whenever their minds are invaded. When in this trance, the wizard subconsciously studies the power that invaded his mind, and learns all about it, including its weaknesses. When he was blasted with the ring's light, Gandalf went into this trance. The old man only came out temporarily to help his friend when he was in danger of dying. But now, Gandalf had finally found the ring's weakness, and had fought off the overpowering thoughts.  
  
His eyes flickered to their normal state, and Gandalf saw that Frodo was in trouble. Again. The wizard narrowed his eyes, so that he wouldn't draw attention to himself, and glanced around the room, surveying the situation.  
  
Gollum had Frodo chained to the wall, and was currently invading his mind with the ring. No problem, one word would get any thoughts of damnation out of that small hobbit's head easily. Samwise Gamgee was standing next to Gollum, staring off into space, obviously brainwashed by the ring. No problem there either. Standing in the doorway was a more serious issue, though. Gollum had somehow managed to ensnare an orc in his web of suffering. But, the wizard was optimistic that he could snap that fellow out of zombie-land too.  
  
Gandalf felt his staff in his hand, obviously Gollum had become overconfident with his newfound power.   
  
'Well,' Gandalf thought, preparing himself for what he was about to do, 'here goes nothing!'  
  
  
  
Note: Yeah, sure, I could have put the next chapter in with this one, but I didn't want to. 


	5. Escape

Chapter 5.  
  
  
Sam knew he wasn't worth it. The only person in the world who was worth anything was Precious. And he wasn't allowed to talk to Precious.  
  
He had realized that his friend, Frodo, wasn't worth protecting anymore. No one was worth protecting anymore. They were all doomed to their own stupidity and insignificance.  
  
Sam watched as his master jammed Precious further into his former friend's forehead. Soon Frodo would realize the truth. Soon he would join Precious' followers. And he would know his own damnation.  
  
Suddenly, the world seamed to slow down. Sam felt his movements grow sluggish, and the rise and fall of his master's chest as he panted in exertion become slothful.   
  
Gandalf leapt to his feet; the slowing of the world didn't seem to affect him. He pointed his staff at the manacle around his foot, and it snapped in two. Maktaw, the orc, began to draw his sword, but it was taking him an eternity. The wizard took two strides across the room, sweat dripping off his brow from the exertion of the enchantment he had cast, and threw Gollum aside, as if he weighed no less than a pebble.   
  
Sam (since he wasn't as far away as Maktaw) managed to grab Gandalf's arm. The wizard turned around and whispered one word into his ear, and the hobbit fell to the ground in a dreamless sleep.  
  
The world slowly began slipping back to normal speed; both Gollum and the orc had almost reached the old man. Their screams of rage were coming closer and closer.  
  
Small hands wrapped around Gandalf's neck. He turned his head to face his assailant, and Frodo's brown eyes stared back at him, bent in rage.   
  
The wizard pried the hobbit's fingers off from around his neck, and brought his mouth close to his brainwashed friend's ear, "Brackle-berry tea." Frodo fell unconscious instantaneously.  
  
Gandalf threw his small friend over his shoulder, grabbed Sam by his collar, and whirled around. Gollum was in midair, gradually getting closer, and time was no longer on the wizard's side. The old man ducked under the angered creature just as time returned to its normal state. Maktaw lunged with his blade, and Gandalf just barely dodged it.   
  
"Roasting pig flesh!" yelled Gandalf, running by the suddenly asleep orc. Gollum lunged at the wizard again, only this time he met a two-foot thick wooden door.  
  
Gandalf turned and fled down the narrow, stone hall, and up the spiral staircase. Gandalf met several people along the way, but the words, "fresh-baked scones" and "newly brewed ale" stopped most every brainwashed hobbit in his tracks, and put him to sleep.  
  
Finally, after dashing up countless stairs, and after naming every delicious food the wise wizard could bring to mind, Gandalf reached the exit of the tower.   
Frodo and he had been brought to one of the many guard towers that had been built during Sauron's possession of the Shire. They were infinitely ugly, but in Gollum's case, they were the best thing that could have happened to the Shire.  
  
The sun breached the horizon, and blinded the old man with a brilliant kaleidoscope of colors.  
  
Gandalf stopped and collapsed where he stood; he was an old man, and running up a flight of stairs with two hobbits strapped to him was not the best thing for him. He could hear Gollum's screams of hatred echoing up the tower stairs.   
  
He had escaped, and was coming.   
  
There was nothing the wizard could do. He was exhausted; most of his energy spent on the time-slow spell and the rest of it spent running up the stairs. All of that work, for nothing.   
  
A gust of wind blew the grass in a dance of oxygen. The trees waving in time with the beat of the world. A sparrow beat its wings as hard as it could, making little progress against the raging breeze.  
  
A pair of gray eyebrows perked with an idea.  
  
"The perfect raging breeze to carry a message."  
  
  
*  
  
  
Gollum scurried up the stairs angrily. How could he have been caught off-guard by that old man? HOW?   
  
He screamed in rage when he met another of his Precious' followers. Asleep. Not only did that old man steal Baggins and his friend, but he also managed to put nearly everyone Gollum had posted in the tower to sleep! And not just any sleep, but a DREAMLESS sleep!   
  
The possessive little creature could already feel his once unlimited strength ebbing. He actually felt pain when he knocked the door down with his shoulder! HE FELT PAIN! For the first time since he had found his precious, HE had felt pain.   
  
Gollum was starting to get very worried about this old man.  
  
He screamed again, and smashed a metal sconce off the spiral staircase's rounded wall. Shards of stone, dust, and debris flew all over the place, making Gollum's eyes water.  
  
"Don't worry, preciousss," he hissed to his ring, "it won't get away, no my preciousss, it won't get away."  
  
Sunlight blinded Gollum when he finally reached the arched stone doorway of the tower. He brought his claw in front of his eyes, and stopped in his tracks, squealing with the pain his sensitive eyes felt. The shadow-loving creature receded back into the darkness of the tower, and looked outside from there.   
  
Gandalf was standing with his arm outstretched to the air, yelling something into the wind. The two sleeping hobbits were at his feet. Gollum almost ran at them he was so angry, but the burning sun stopped him.   
  
He fumed where he stood, watching as the old man continued to yell and stand there. Gollum had no way of getting to them. The sun would surely blind him and burn his skin. He was trapped in the tower until nightfall.  
  
Something whipped his face, and he turned to see a black tapestry blowing in the intense wind. Gollum grinned.   
  
He ripped the tapestry down, and tore it until it was smaller. He tied it around his face and eyes. Then he took what was left of the cloth, and tied it around his neck like a cape. Gollum wrapped his makeshift protection around himself, and stepped into the sunlight.   
  
It worked. He could see his target, but the sun wasn't as blinding as it usually was. "Now, my preciousss, we have them!"  
  
  
*  
  
  
"Help Me!" yelled Gandalf into the wind for the last time.  
  
He glanced over to the door, and almost jumped in surprise. He had expected the sun to keep Gollum at bay longer than this. The little beast had tied something around his head, and was now running at the wizard and his sleeping friends at full speed.   
  
Then, he heard a familiar sound.  
  
In an instant, his staff was in his hand, and the rounded knob was pointed skyward, and the two hobbits were under his arm.  
  
Gollum was getting closer. Gandalf could hear his screams and snarls as he scurried across the ground at amazing speeds. He was going for the kill.  
  
"I hate to disappoint you, Gollum," the old wizard said, "but we really must fly."  
  
The malformed creature leapt into the air, and slashed with his razor sharp nails. He suddenly found himself being lifted in the air. He glanced up, and saw a gigantic hawk was carrying him away. He squealed and kicked, trying to break free, but the giant bird was stronger than Gollum could ever be. Even with the ring of weakness.  
  
"NO," Gandalf screamed in surprise and anger, dropping the two hobbits and his staff, "No, you stupid bird!" Gandalf began waving his arms, trying to get his airborne friend's attention, "You were supposed to pick us up you dumb buzzard!"  
  
The wizard watched in horror as the huge hawk carried Gollum east, then dropped him when he saw Gandalf trying to get his attention. The colossal bird flew back to where the old man was standing and landed, nearly blowing the two sleeping hobbits away with his massive wings.  
  
"What's the problem, Gandy?" the hawk asked, cocking his head to one side.  
"First off," Gandalf answered, about to explode with rage, "don't call me 'Gandy' and secondly," the wizard pointed his arm angrily towards where Gollum had been dropped, "you picked up the wrong person!"  
  
"But he was attacking you," the hawk answered, nearly turning his head upside down in confusion.  
  
"And I wanted you to pick me up," the old man fumed, crossing his arms over his thin chest, "so we could chase him and bring him somewhere where I could keep an eye on him. I didn't want you to set him free in the middle of the Shire!"  
  
The monstrous bird chuckled. "No one could survive a fall like that!"  
  
"You'd be surprised."  
  
  
*  
  
  
"Do you see?" Gandalf asked, pointing to the tracks that ended where the forest path forked in two directions, "He did survive the fall, and now he's lose somewhere OUTSIDE THE SHIRE!"  
  
The hawk nestled down, making himself comfortable next to the camp that the two hobbits had made. They had been tracking Gollum for two days now, the hawk adamantly believing that there was no way anyone could survive the fall that the little monster took.  
  
"I still say someone carried him off," replied the giant bird casually.  
  
"Someone carried him for nearly one hundred and ten miles!?" the Gandalf retorted, throwing his arms into the air. He turned back around to look at the two different paths Gollum could have taken, "The question now is, which way did the little bugger go? North, near Rivendell? Or South, near the ruins of Isengard?"  
  
Sam, Frodo, and Gandalf couldn't ride on Talto (the hawk) because much of the journey was through dense forests. Talto didn't mind walking on the ground, surprisingly, since he wanted to prove that Gollum had died in the fall. On the journey, Gandalf told the others what he had found out during his trance.   
  
The ring of weakness sucked the joy and happiness from people, and converted it into strength and near invulnerability for the bearer of the ring. Not only that, but it convinced the persons afflicted that they have no life to live, and that they should devote themselves to the ring, and whatever its master wishes. The only way to combat this was to name something that made the person feel really happy.  
  
"Food," Gandalf had said, "is the most common thing, and a lot of people share a favorite food. So the names of foods was my obvious choice of words to snap you (and the other hobbits) out of your bewitchment."  
  
"Well," Talto said, climbing to his feet, "I don't really care which way the little bastard went. And I personally have no idea why I followed you damn people all this way in the first place." And with that, he flapped his wings and flew out a hole in the canopy of trees.   
Wind swirled around the hobbits, and the fire threatened to go out. When the aftermath of Talto's violent takeoff subsided, the hobbits continued setting up camp.  
  
"I personally think he stayed for my special bird seed," Sam confided in Frodo while they were setting up the tents.  
  
"How do you know that, Sam?" Frodo asked as he tied a corner of the tent to a stake.  
  
"Because he took the entire bag of it before he left."  
  
  
  
  
  
Note: Wasn't that an awesome ending to this chapter? Wondering what's going to happen next? WELL I'M GOING TO LET YOU CHOOSE! That's right, I'm going to let you people choose. Did Gollum go north? Or did he go south? EACH WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT ENDING! (As far as I know this is the first choose-your-own-adventure fanfic, but feel free to use it if you want, just make sure you include my name in your credits somewhere :} ) If you are reading this, and the story only has five chapters, don't worry, the other two are coming. Chapter six will be if Gollum goes north, and chapter seven will be if he goes south. STAY TUNED!!! 


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